What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Homosalate 15%
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene 10%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3 3%
UV Absorber
Adipic Acid/Diglycol Crosspolymer
BHT
Antioxidant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cera Alba
Emollient
Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate
EmollientNeopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientOzokerite
Emulsion StabilisingParaffin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Silica
Abrasive
Homosalate 15%, Octocrylene 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Benzophenone-3 3%, Adipic Acid/Diglycol Crosspolymer, BHT, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cera Alba, Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Ozokerite, Paraffin, Parfum, Polyethylene, Silica
Zinc Oxide 21.6%
Cosmetic Colorant
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPolyethylene
Abrasive
Paraffin
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Oxide 21.6%, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polyethylene, Paraffin, Silica, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Ozokerite, Isopropyl Myristate, Adipic Acid/Diglycol Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for Adipic Acid/Diglycol Crosspolymer yet.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolNeopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Emollients help hydrate the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier prevents moisture from escaping, keeping the skin hydrated.
It is the diester of neopentyl glycol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate isn't fungal acne safe.
We don't have a description for Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate yet.
Ozokerite is a naturally occuring mineral wax. In cosmetics, ozokerite is used as a texture enhancer.
Ceresin wax is derived from this ingredient.
The melting point of ozokerite is 58-100 C.
Ozokerite is found all over the world including Scotland, the US, and India.
Learn more about OzokeriteParaffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinPolyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.
It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.
Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about Silica
